In this announcement:

1 - Just in time for Christmas: 1975 Nativity Pageant DVD
2 - Hotel reservations page
3 - Deck the halls...er...website
4 - Looking for pack camels

1- Sunday Service Interruption
2- Website Login
3- It's So Easy...
4- 2010-2011 AdBak on New Site

1. Sunday Service Interruption
Our website server will be taken off-line intermittently this Sunday, September 26th, between 2:00 am to 8:00 am, Eastern time (GMT-5) during a software upgrade.  If you cannot access www.aramco-brats.com, please check back after 8:00 am.

2. Website Login
If you received this notice you are already registered on ABI's new website.  To log in for the first time:

1. Go to www.aramco-brats.com
2. Click the "forgot password" link in the upper-right corner.  You will be prompted to enter your email address
3. You will receive an email with instructions for resetting your password.
   

Once you have reset your password, please log into the web site and take a moment to validate/update your contact information.

3.  It's So Easy...
...to put off making your hotel reservation for the reunion thinking that a room will always be available especially for you.  Truly, it is easier just to do it now, so you don't have to fret later on when you are making travel plans, organizing gatherings for you and your friends, and wondering what you are going to wear.

Click on hotel reservations for information on making your reservations or go directly to our Fairmont reservation page to reserve your room. Don't forget to sign up for the drawing to upgrade to a one bedroom suite after you have made your reservation.

Our contracted room block is currently 69.8% filled.  This is *up* a little over 18% since our late July report which we sent to you.  Quick, hurry, rush, dash, zip - make your reservation this weekend.

If you have any questions or concerns about the hotel and/or your reservations, please contact Diana.

4. 2010-2011 AdBak on New Site
On the new site, you can pay AdBak online or by check by simply clicking on "change membership level" in your profile and selecting "Supporting Member [Domestic (U.S.) AdBak]" or "Supporting Member [International AdBak]. If you are not already registered with us, please use the Membership Form to register and pay AdBak.

NOTE: Please do not use the Donation form on the website for AdBak payments. This is intended for donations above and beyond standard AdBak which are always a welcome surprise.

Shukran!,

Marie Littlejohn-Dunn DH'77
ABI President
for the
ABI Board

Shukran for your patience while we made sure our reservations system was set up correctly for everyone to receive the appropriate discounted rates and information! Our group reservations system with the Fairmont Dallas is now open for business!

Phone Reservations Procedure: Call Fairmont Reservations Department at 1-800-441-1414. Make sure you identify yourself as being with AramcoBrats Reunion for ease of booking.

Online Reservations Procedure: A dedicated booking website has been created for our event so attendees are able to make, modify and cancel their hotel reservations online. https://resweb.passkey.com/go/aramco. More details regarding room rates, suites, and upgrades can be found at http://www.aramco-brats.com/reunion_reservations.html

IMPORTANT: Those of you who DID NOT WAIT to make your reservations may not be included in our room block and may not have received the group room rates. We work very hard (twist, pull, swoon, and cajole) to get these discounts and other amenities from the host property for the benefit of all reunion attendees, and we would hate to see someone miss out. Additionally, there are a few amenities that are tied to us, as a group, meeting a minimum room count during the reunion. We want to make sure all rooms are accounted for, so the reunion is entitled to any sweeteners. SO, IF YOU MADE YOUR RESERVATIONS PRIOR TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, PLEASE SEND YOUR CONFIRMATION NUMBER TO diana@aramco-brats.com to ensure it was handled properly.

2. Call for 2011 Reunion Committee Volunteers
Our 2011 Reunion Chair, Barry Cook, is working on forming the 2011 Reunion Committee. If you want to be involved in the organization of the reunion or would like to understand more about serving on a reunion committee, please contact us at reunion2011@aramco-brats.com. Shukran in advance to you awesome Brat volunteers!

3. Help us go green
In an effort to use less paper and postage, and because the majority of brats in our database now have email addresses, we will be transitioning our BratNews publications to e-newsletters instead of the print copies you have historically found in your mailboxes (you know, the ones you throw in the recycle bin once you've read every word?). This switch will not only enable us to share news more frequently, but also provide more interesting content such as links to articles, photos and videos that would appeal to our Brat community.

We still intend to mail print copies to those who request it. If you really need to continue receiving the print version, please complete and submit the following form: http://www.aramco-brats.com/Newsletter_Form.html. Wait! For those who received this e-announcement and are on the verge of clicking through to the opt-in form...Seriously?

And since we have you thinking about your mailbox vs. your inbox, now would be a great time to make sure that we have the latest and greatest contact information for you. If you have moved, please contact Duane (duane@aramco-brats.com) to update your information, or send it to us through our online form: http://www.aramco-brats.com/address_change_form.html

4. Photo contest
We're getting a little weary of our website banner and are thinking it might be fun to change it up a bit. Some of you have some fabulous photos in your stash that capture the essence of Aramco Bratiness. We know it! We've seen them in various online albums and on Facebook. Maybe it's a beach photo with friends, a cool Little League or swim meet photo, or just a fun or funny scene that says it all for you. How fun would it be for your photo to be the face of ABI?

If you have a photo that you would like to have considered, please send your submission to Dawn at dawn@aramco-brats.com. Here are submission requirements:

• minimum 1000 pixels horizontally and 125 pixels vertically
• content must be appropriate for public display
• photos can be either black/white or color
• photos must be your own and free for ABI to publish
• photos may subject to minor alterations to make them fit the banner space and site color scheme (cropped, faded, tinted, etc.)
• tell about the photo and how it captures the essence of Aramco Brattiness.

We're hoping we get enough submissions to even change them out every now and then. An old Aramco Christmas photo would be a much better way to spruce up the website than holiday clip art, don't you think?

Thanks!
Marie Littlejohn-Dunn, ABI President

'Tis the season for holiday parties. While we would love to bring us all together to eat, drink and be merry, we cannot, for the life of us, fit the bowls of hummus and trays of cookies in this announcement. The best we can do is bring a little menu of seasonal entertainment and reminiscing to your desktop to thank you for making the ABI such a successful and fun organization. Enjoy!

Vintage Aramco Christmas footage courtesy of Aramco Expats and Tim Barger - "Sleigh Bells Ring in 1952" : http://www.aramcoexpats.com/Articles/Lifestyles/Special-Interest/2870.aspx

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" from some ABI elves - http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/CF1OJqUyk16P5YdJ

"Jingle Bells" from some more ABI elves - http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/3sZwnQlPHUP3Qmd15VG5

Oh wait! What's in that big box the elves are wrapping over there? The tag says "Aramco Brats." Could it be a reunion announcement? It's the right size and shape! They're still wrapping it, but it looks like it will be finished really, really soon! Stay tuned!

Have a safe and happy holiday!,

The ABI elves

We are pleased to announce that we have filled all of the appointed Board positions for the 2009-2011 term. Please join me in welcoming first-time Board members Tom Littlejohn, Robin Payne White, Duane Hopple, and Andrew Bobb. I would also like to thank our returning Board members for agreeing to serve (yet) another term. We have another great group of volunteers and a nice balance of experience and fresh perspective on the team.

Your 2009-20011 Board of Directors:

Marie Littlejohn Dunn (DH7)-President
Randa Owen Williams (DH65)-Vice President
Tom Littlejohn (DH84)-Treasurer
Kim Zinszer (DH67)-Secretary
Robin Payne White (DH59)-Class Representative Director
Duane Hopple (RT79)-Database Director
Diana Ryrholm-Geerdes (RT62) DAL (contracts)
Andrew Bobb (DH74) DAL (nominations)
Mike Simms (AB75) Publications Director
Diane Knipfel-Adams (AB78) Reunion Oversight Director
Dawn Kolb (DH92) Website Director

To our departing Board members, Penny, Dean, Gary and Doug, "shukran" for your many hours of hard work and for your wonderful senses of humor that made the hours seem shorter and the work lighter. We will miss you. You made it fun!

Now, on to the work of throwing another one of the best parties in the world, the 13th Biennial ABI reunion! Stay tuned to your favorite Brat channel (www.aramco-brats.com or www.facebook.com/aramcobrats or both) for details.

Marie Littlejohn Dunn (DH77)
ABI President